Book-support.



c. L. DAHL'BEIRG.

BOOK SUPPORT.

APPLICATION FILED AUG-20. 1917.

1 ,278,4:42 Patented Sept. 10, 1918.

CHARLES Ii. 'DAHLBERG, or nns MOINES, IOWA.

BOOK-SUPPORT.

Specificationof Letters Patent. 7 Patented Sept, 10, 1918,

Application filed-August 20, 1917. Serial No. 187,242.

To aZZ whom it may concern: 7

Be it known that 1, CHARLES L. DAHLBERG, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Des Moines, in the county of Polk and State of Iowa, have invented a certain new and'useful Book-Support, of which the following is a-specification.

My invention relates to book supports for iholding an open volume for reading or copying therefrom.

The object of my invention is to provlde such a book support having movable members connected with each other in such manner that they may be readily adjusted for holding a bookresting thereon, in proper position for reading or copying from the book, regardless of the polnt at which the book may be open.

Still a further object is to provide such a device having means for holding the pages fiat when the book is open, which means is adjustable for fitting books of difierent sizes.

Vith these and other objects in v ew, my invention consists in the construction, arrangement and combination of the various parts of the device, whereby the pb ects contemplated are attained, as here nafter more fully set forth, pointed out 1n my claim, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which: v

Figure 1 shows a perspective new of a book support embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 shows a side elevation of the same.

Fig. 3 shows an enlarged, detail view of the means for connecting the two slidable -members. 1

taken through the central portion of the leaf holding weight or bar, and

Fig. 6 shows a detail, sectional vlew of the mechanism for holding the adjustable leaf holding bar.

In the accompanying drawings 1 have used the reference numeral 10 to indicate generally a base which may be made of any suitable material, such, for instance, as a wooden board. Arranged on the upper surface of the base 10, in the center thereof, and extending from front to rear of sald base, is a strip 11. At each end of the base 10 is a metal plate or strip 12, whlch extends upwardly beyond the base 10, as shown in Fig. 1. On each side of the strip 11 is a slidable member 13, which may comprise a board. The members 13 slide fore and aft in the device between the strip 11 and the respective strips 12 which form guideways. Hinged to the forward end of each. slidable member 13 is a book supporting member 14. The members 14 are designed in one position to rest immediately above the slidable members 13 so as to occupy a minimum of space. When in actual use for holding a book, the members 14 incline from their lower forward edges upwardly and rearwardly, as illustrated in Fig. 1.

Pivoted to the rear surface of each book supporting member 14 is a supporting base 15, having at its lower end a portion or member 16 adapted to rest on the proper slidable member 13 and to be extended under a hook device 17 on the upper surface of the member 13. The hook device prevents the brace from sliding rearwardly, and holds the book supporting member 14 in proper raised position.

In a book support of this kind, it will be understood that the left hand member 14 supports the front cover of the book, while the other member 14 supports the rear cover thereof. \Vhen the book is open at its middle, it is desirable that the members 14 should be in alinement from side to side.

WVhen, however, the pages ofthe book are turned so that the portion of the book at one side of the center thereof is considerably thicker than the portion at the other side of said center, then it is desirable that the member 14 which supports the thicker portion. of the book should be slightly rearwardly of the other member 14. In other words, it is desirable that the members 14 should be capable of fore and aft sliding movement in the machine with respect to each other, and it is also desirablethat the movement of one of said members 14 should correspond with the other of said members for properly supporting the book. It thus appears that where the members 14 are adjustable in the manner just mentioned, they can easily be so adjusted that the open pages of the book maybe substantially in the same plane.

For properly connecting the members 14, or rather the members 13 which carry the members 14, the following means has been provided. Centrally pivoted on, the upper surface ofthe strip 11, preferably approzri- 1 matoly'near" the center thereof from front to rear, is a flat bar 18 preferably made of metal or the like, and having ts endsadapted to extend over andto overlap the upper surfaoesof the members 13 when the bar 18 is in transverse position in the device, as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 3. Near each end of the bar 18 is a longitudinally elongated slot- 19. On the upper surface feach of the slidable members 13 is an upwardly extending lug or, pin 20, the upper end of which-projects into one of theslots '19. .7 I

Bythe mechanism just described, it will beseen thatzwhen either one of the vmembers 14 is pushed rear-wardly or forwardly in the device, the other of the members 14 will be caused to trayel correspondingly forwardly or rearwardly. P In Fig. 1 I have shown the members 13 and 14in position for receiving a book open approximately at its middle, while in Fig. 2,

in dotted lines, I have shown the members 14 in different positions fore and aft of the device and in position for holding a book where a considerably larger portion of the book rest-son one of the book supports than on 1111630131161 book support.

:For holding the leaves of the book open,

- openings'22 of one armof the bracket registel with the openings22 in the other'i arm thereof. The arms ofthe bracket 21 at their lower-ends have laterall.yexten'ding flanges 23 which aresec'ured to the strip 11 by means of screws or the like 24. At the upper end of the bracket 21. said bracket 1s pivotal-1y connected "with the bracket 21 by 7 "means "of the-=pin 28 selectively-extended provided at its rear'ward edge with a notch '25. I provide a'rod 26, the lower end of which is flattened to fit between the arms of the bracket '21; The flattened end of the rod 26 is provided with a plurality of holes 27 such asthose indicated by dotted lines inlfiig. 6. The-lower end of the rod 26 is through an-opposit'e pair ofopenmgs 22 and one of the o'penmgs'27. The openings 22 are located near the rear edges of the bracket 21,- and the notch 25 is of such depth that when the rod '26 is swung upwardly the lower flattened portion of the rod 26 will be received in the notch '25 for permitting the rod 26 toswing a trifle past vertical, so

that when the :rod'26 is swung'upwardly and forwardly in the device to position'where it isre'ceived in'thenotch 25, said rod '26 will remain in its raised position until'moved forwardly.

v I provide a weight bar 29-which is provided withan opening at 1ts central portion, whereby said weight bar is slidably and rotatably mounted .on the rod 26. I The weight bar 29 maybe locked on the rod 26 in a variety of positions by means of a set screw 30. p In the pract1cal use of my improved book 7 support, the rod 26 is raised toposition shown in full lines in Fig. 1, and the book is placed open on; the book supports 14, as illustrated by dotted lines in said figure. If the book is opened a- .pp:roXim-ately 1 at its middle, the members '13 and 14 are left prac tically in alinement with each other jfrom side to side in the device. If,;however, the book isopened near the :front or back or at any point aside fromthe center, that book 7 supporting member 14 which supports the larger part of the book is movedslightly rearwardly with relation'to the other book support, until the exposed open pages of the book are substantially in the sameplane'. The weight bar,2 9 is then swung forwardly until it rests upon the open -pagesof the book, as shown in dotted .lines in Fig- 1. The :rod 26 maybe adjusted to a variety of positions for use with different sizes of books, by the selective monntingof the pin 28in different holes 22 and 27. The weight bar29 may be quickly. and easily adjusted "on the rod 26, so as tocause it to rest in any desired position on the book; .1

placed on the members 14, a veryjeasy adjustment maybe had by vpushing on either :side of the book or upon either of the members14 or 13,-and"that the movement of" one. member 13 or 14 causes'a corresponding opposite movement of the :other member 13 or :14. It should benoted that thersli'ding members 13"a-renormal1y held 'by'friction against U slidingmovement.

In 111any o1fices,such for instance as those of makers of abstracts of title and the like, P113115 desirable tohave a quickly operated and accurate lin e guide, 7 It, will be seen that the bar 29 may be quickly and easily ada line guide. r r ,7 When the "ClGVlQG 1s notin use, the braok:

'- ets 15 may be swungforwardly againstxthe under surfaces ofthe members'14', andthe members 14 may then be collapsed d'own- 'wardily and rearwardlyuntil they restjust above the members 13. The rod.26 and bar space for storage "or transportation.

Some changesmay be made in the construction and arrangement of the parts of my improved='device, without departing from a'ny modified forms of structure or. :use of 1 It will be seen that gwhenthe book is i justed on the rod 526, so that it aflords such 29 may then be lowered-rearwardly, so that the collapsed clevlce -occup1es a minimum mechanical equivalents which may be reasoning member mounted on each of said slidable ably. included within the scope of my claim. members and an equalizer interposed be- I claim as my invention: tween said slid-able members and opera- 10 A book support comprising a base, a pair tively connected therewith and with said i 5 of members mounted to slide horizontally base.

thereon and to be normally held by friction Des Moines, Iowa, July 31, 1917. against slidable movement, a book support- CHARLES L. DAHLBERG.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. 0. 4 

